—When the beef is ready to go into coolers it is supposedly well dressed and absolutely clean. Such being the case, care should be taken to see that the carcasses, as they are moved along the rails, are kept bone to bone, or back to back, for if they are thrown in promiscuously (as more or less blood will run out of the kidneys if run together, one front against another back of beef) they will certainly become discolored. The beef should be handled speedily and with as little jerking and throwing around as possible, for when handled roughly veins will purge more or less and the beef, even though clean, will be highly colored.
The sides of beef should be placed at least a foot apart in the preliminary or fore-cooler. They should be placed so that under no condition does one side of meat touch the other, for if it does touch it will show an unchilled spot on the beef, which disfigures it.
Beef should always, if possible, be hung a foot apart the first twenty-four hours; later it can be hung closer without detriment, although it should not be allowed to touch.
Fore-Cooler.
—When a fore-cooler is used beef should be held in the fore-cooler, which consists of one-third of the length of the cooler cut off by a partition or a separate room, a large amount of the moisture and animal heat that is left in the carcass is here abstracted. When killing choice cattle it is advisable to have the temperature of the fore-cooler as near 38° F. as possible, 43° F. is not detrimental. Sides of heavy cattle should hang at least eighteen inches apart in order that the air may circulate freely around the carcasses; lighter cattle may be hung closer.
Secondary Cooler.
—The room temperature of this secondary cooler can be safely reduced to 25° F., before filling. The maximum temperature should not rise above 40° F. It is dependent upon the quantity of product placed in the cooler, the excellence of the air circulation, the quantity of cooling surface such as sheets, sprays, brine or ammonia pipe and the quantity and temperature of ammonia gas or brine in use. The possibilities can be ascertained by test and practice established from this. Within twelve hours after killing the beef should be in storage reduced to 36°, and further to 33 to 34° F. as quickly as possible and maintained thereat until the beef is disposed of.
Meat which is intended for freezing purposes should be thoroughly chilled before being sent to the freezers, as it not only aids in the freezing of the beef, but it has a much better appearance when it comes from the freezer if it is properly chilled before being frozen.
Heavy Cattle.
—These held in the main coolers should be reduced to a lower temperature. Heavy cattle for domestic trade should be carried at 32° F. for the first twenty-four hours; after which 34° is not detrimental.